


Sliding Doors

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-01-28
Updated: 2001-01-28
Packaged: 2019-05-15 11:08:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14789381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: What if they hadn't won the election?





	Sliding Doors

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

 

Sliding Doors

I got this idea basically form that movie with Gwyneth Paltrow about if she  
didn't miss the train what would hapen..sort of like the Family Man. Anyway,  
i thought of how things would be different for all different couples if Bartlett  
had lost..maybe they would've asked for a recount;) Sorry. P.S. Aren't you  
kinda  
mad that NOEL was based all upon Josh? (Hey, he is hot, but you have an ensemble  
cast,  
you should use them all.) that flashbacks were kinda screwy too....just a  
thought.

Al characters blong to Aaron Sorkin, no copyright infringement meant..no prfit  
being made.  
Just good enough knowing that you guys liked it.

~~~~~~~~~

"Cj Cregg."

"Danny Concannon, sit down."

Danny motioned her to sit as their waiter took their order.

"So, let me start. How does it feel after the loss?"

"Gov. Bartlett and ourselves feel that everything is done for a reson.  
Therefore, we are  
sure that the Govenor's talents are needed somewhere else."

Danny wrote this all down on his notepad as Cj nibbled on her salad. She noticed  
the reporter's  
way of thought, and also noticed the several times he was looking at her.

"ok, got it."

Danny finished scribbling down what Cj said and began to eat his submarine.

"Off the record, how'd it go?"

"not well. We won the primaries in a flash, and the nomination. Josh's father  
had just died,  
we were just feeling the ride of being on the television and we were excited  
about it. Nov. 7  
came, and we lost. Other words, we all went drinking."

Danny smirked and looked up at her again.

"I see. your family's from California i heard?"

"Yeah, central mostly. We're a big clan....."

They chatted through the entire evening and continued to drink their wine and  
shared a few  
laughs.

"So, we've chatted over my family, the race, and how i jumped aboard. I don't  
think that's why  
you called me."

"Not entirely," Danny grinned," reason one was to get a follow-up, reason two  
was  
to- well, flirt with you."

Cj turned red.

" Subtlty isn't my best area."

"i can tell," Cj laughed.

Cj sipped her drink again as Danny paid the bill.

"thank you."

Danny quickly drove her home.

"thank you, for the dinner."

"No problem."

Cj invited Danny in to her apartment.

"you still have boxes?"

"Yeah, i wasn't very sure whether to unpack or not."

"unpack."

Cj turned and faced the reporter.

"so why should i unpack?"

"Because you have 2 job offers, which i'm sure will more than pay for the bills,  
Josh and Sam  
are staying and it's a nice town once you get to know it."

"Really?"

"Yeah, especially with me in it."

Cj smirked and served Danny some drinks.

"thanks," Danny received the drink she made and they continued to talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~  
"I have a deadline to do, so i guess it's time for me to go."

Cj nodded, and showed him the door.

"It was nice having you," Cj continued, "i would really like to see you again."

"Are you asking me out on a date?"

"you could say that,i guess."

Cj shifted in her stance as Danny nodded.

"Then count on it."

Danny swiftly kissed her as he left.

"G-good," she managed to choke out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

toby played with the phone line as Cj continued to tell him what happened.

"...so he kissed me."

"Ok, wait. I think my phone line's dropping out. Did you say he kissed you?"

"Yes, Toby, i did. anything wrong with that?"

"No, it's just that it isn't going to look good with you-"

"Toby, nobody cares anymore about us. We've lost, no one cares who we date or  
what we do.  
We are now normal Americans and not one newsnetwork is going to care what we  
do."

Toby stayed speechless as Cj thought over what we said.

"I'm sorry, that was inappropriate."

"No," toby answered," that was exactly what i needed."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I don't know, it just came out. Anyway, have fun, then i guess."

"come on, toby, you gotta get out of New York. Have some fun! Take up sky  
diving,  
or something."

"k, so now i'm asuming you've had a few drinks before you dialed me up. Cj, get  
some sleep.  
I'll see you soon."

"Ok, whatever. Bye."

"bye."

Toby threw the phone down as andrea walked past him.

"Who was that?"

"Cj, cj, Cj. she's going out with a reporter."

"Good for her."

toby nodded as Andrea sat down across from him.

"I'm glad you lost, Toby."

"I know."

"Think about it, you'd be at work all day and probably spend the night, i'd  
never  
get to see you. I really think it was done for a purpose."

"Yeah, yeah."

Toby stood as he turned off the bedroom light.  
~~~~~~~~~~

Next Morning:

"I told Leo we'd think about it."

"What do you mean, we'll think about it?"

"I mean, you, Mandy, and me, josh."

"Yeah, i understood it, but he asked for both of us?"

"Yes, he asked for both of us. The Gov. wants us to be his advisors, or  
somehtingnlike that."

"Advisors? josh, we have betters offers."

"Yeah, but he's a good man."

"Yes, but that isn't going to pay the bills."

"It's a step, Mandy. We help him, then we'll help Lillenfield."

"I thought you hated Lillienfield."

"I do, but that's a step too. We can't just step off a loss and expect 6 figure  
salaries!"

Josh made a fist as Mandy looked on.

"Yeah, i got that."

"I know, i know. I'm going to go check up on Sam."

"Sure."

Josh grabbed his coat as he drove to Sam's apartment.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey."

"Hey, Josh. How are you?"

"I'm doing good," Josh answered as Sam showed him in.

"How's Mandy?"

"As bitchy as always."

"Uh-huh. Hey, i heard from Cj the other day."

"What did Claud say?"

Sam grabbed his coat and gave him a beer.

"She's going out with the Senior white house Correspondant."

"Ohh, what's his name. the Danny- McConnon, Concannon, Concannon, that's it." 

"Yeah, that's him. they're going out to the movies today."

"We're going to have great material with that."

"You bet, you wnat something?"

Sam opened his fridge.

"Uh, no, i just had breakfast."

"ok."

"Leo offered Mandy and me a job."

"Yeah, Cj said the same, and he offered Toby and me one too."

"Guess Bartlett really liked us," Josh said as he sipped his beer.

"How's Toby?"

"Back at homw with Andrea, guess he smoothed things out back at home."

"That's good, he really needs her."

"I agree, you know i read a colum by a girl, Ainley Hayes."

"Ainsley Hayes? Yeah, i heard Lillienfield is going to hire her as Counsel," Sam  
said.

"Hmm. Be funny if we were in office and hired her."

"Oh, yeah, Cj and Toby would have a heart attack."

Josh laughed as they each drank their beer.

"Yeah, i just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm glad you stoppped by."

"hey, i'm sorry i made you get on board with Bartlett."

"Don't be, it was worth it."

"Yeah, but you broke up with-"

"that was meant to be. It was fun, and i like politics much more than selling  
insurance  
to oil liners."

"Good, i hated that place. Whitney Gab, Whitney Gage. it really wasn't you."

"Yeah, you've told me."

Sam finally finished his beer as the doorbell rang.

"I wonder who that is."

" It's probably Cj, I told her to come for lunch today."

Sam walked to door as Josh followed.

"Hey, Sam. Josh, how are you?"

Cj hugged both men as she entered Sam's apartment.

" I didn't know Josh was going to stop by, i would've come another day."

"hey! Don't you like me?"

Josh pestered cj.

"Yes, yes, i do. It's just that i'm sure Sam hands are full with just you,  
joshua."

Cj helped Sam make the lunch.

"so, Cj, what's new?"

"Nothing, Josh, why do you ask?"

"Oh, just wondering."

"Joshua, what do you need?"

"i want to know everything about your new boyfriend, and maybe if i see a  
criminal record,  
that would help."

"Josh..."

"Come on, Cj," Sam said, "We want to know."

"fine, fine. What do you want to know?"

"As i said an FBI file, criminal record...."

"Josh, how bout main facts?"

"that'll do for now."

"ok. He's a red-head, he writes for the Post, he works at the White House."

"and his name?"

"Danny. Danny Concannon."

"We know."

"We looked up his FBI file on the internet, just in case, and we also saw his  
backround check."

"you- why'd you do that?"

"Cause we care for you, cj."

Cj looked at them closely.

"you guys are my family, i don't even know if my sister would do that.."

Cj rubbed her eyes as they teared up.  
'  
"Nice job, Sam, you made her cry."

"did not!"

"Sam, josh, i love you two."

Cj stood and hugged both of them.

"I'd take a bullet for you, Cj," sam said.

"come on, Sam, that's enough Kodak moments for today."

"I-I can't believe how much this whole campagne has really formed my life....if  
it wasn't  
for you guys, i'b still be out in California, doing TV publicity."

"And getting $550,000 a year, might i add."

Sam shook his head.

"Anyway," Josh said. "We really should get going, now Cj."

"Yeah, i have this thing in an hour..."

"And i have some work and calls to make."

"how bout my place dinner, tomorrow?"

Sam and Josh thought at her offer.

"I'll bring the beer."

"Fine."

"Tomorrow's good," answered Sam.

"Good."

The 3 friends hugged and said their repective good byes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~`  
LATER THAT NIGHT

"Concannon, table for 2."

"Right this way, sir."

Danny and Cj were led thru the italian restaurant, and were seated in a corner.

"thank you," Cj said as Danny held out her chair.

"tonight our special is Shrimp Scampi. That goes maginifc' with our house white  
wine."

Cj and Danny skimmed the menus.

"Uh...i'll have that Shrimp scampi, then," Danny said.

"I'll have the pasta ardente, please."

"Of course, any thing to drink?"

Danny took a quick glance at Cj.

"Do you want wine?"

"Sure."

"Then we'll have 2 glasses of your white wine."

"Yes."

The waiter left the two alone as they chatted.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NEW YORK CITY, SAME NIGHT

"Hey Andi, look what i found."

toby held up a picture fo toby and Andrea dancing during a  
fundraiser for Bartlett.

"That's a goodpicture."

"Yeah. Hey look, there's Cj and Sam, and Mandy and Josh."

"Yeah, they were all so happy."

"All of us were...."

"We still are. I have you, and you have me. that's all we need."

"you're right."

"do you want some pie?"  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

JOSH'S APARTMENT

"that's a great sunset."

"yeah."

Josh and Mandy sat on their building's roof top, enjoying the sun's last rays.

"You know, besides us losing, those were the best months of my life."

Mandy nodded.

"I mean, we were having the ride of our lives...it's just so sad it's all over."

"IT's not over.....it's just begginning."

~~~~~~~~~~

FIN. YA LIKE? IT WAS A THOUGHT....


End file.
